MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd August, 2018) Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that she would run for the post of leader of the Liberal Party, media reported on Thursday.
Other candidates include acting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison, according to Sky news Australia.
A prime minister in Australia leads the party in control of parliament. Turnbulls Liberals are senior partners in a coalition with the Nationals. However, his government has been in turmoil amid numerous ministerial resignations.
On Tuesday, Turnbull barely managed to defend his party leadership in a vote initiated by Dutton. However, earlier on Thursday, several more senior members of the government, including Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, said they had lost confidence in their prime minister.
In response, Turnbull said that he would step down as both prime minister and party leader if the Liberal Party organized a second vote. The prime minister, however, said that he would agree to a second vote if he received an official document signed by the majority of party members.
